narrative-reversal-screen

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Screens for "narrative reversal" candidates — stocks down 30%+ from 52W high with concrete catalyst still intact, worst-case priced in, early reversal signal (first higher low, 50DMA cross, insider buying after capitulation). Returns top 3 with entry plan. Triggers in English ("beaten-down stocks with thesis", "find reversal plays", "stocks at bottom that can recover", "fallen angel screen", "comeback candidates") or Chinese ("找暴跌反转股", "找回归类股票", "ORCL 那种反转", "已经跌透的好股", "底部反弹候选").

ssurmic By ssurmic schedule Updated 5/11/2026

name: narrative-reversal-screen description: Screens for "narrative reversal" candidates — stocks down 30%+ from 52W high with concrete catalyst still intact, worst-case priced in, early reversal signal (first higher low, 50DMA cross, insider buying after capitulation). Returns top 3 with entry plan. Triggers in English ("beaten-down stocks with thesis", "find reversal plays", "stocks at bottom that can recover", "fallen angel screen", "comeback candidates") or Chinese ("找暴跌反转股", "找回归类股票", "ORCL 那种反转", "已经跌透的好股", "底部反弹候选").

Narrative Reversal Screen — Buy The Beaten Down

🔍 Pre-flight checklist — reversals fail spectacularly in the wrong regime

A "down 50% with intact catalyst" looks like value until the broader market sells off another 20% and your "value" becomes -70%. Required checks:

  1. Macro regime gate — trigger macro-warning. Reversals work in 🟢 GREEN (recovering market lifts beaten-down names) and mid-late 🟡 YELLOW (capitulation phase). 🔴 RED → reversals are still falling knives. Don't recommend reversal buys in RED; flag as "watch list only" instead.
  2. Insider must be slowing sells or starting to buy$(ls ~/.claude/{skills,plugins/claude-investment-skills}/review-investment-screenshot/scripts/insider_ratio.py 2>/dev/null | head -1) TICKER --window 180 (180d for reversals — see the trend over 2 quarters, not just 90d). The ORCL signal was: pre-crash 8 sells / 2 buys → post-crash 2 sells / 5 buys. Form 4 code "P" only.
  3. First higher low CONFIRMED, not predicted — Don't pre-empt. Wait for: (a) 50DMA crossover OR (b) confirmed higher low on weekly. Pre-empting "looks bottomed" is how -30% becomes -50%.
  4. 3-tier entry — T1 = first confirmed higher low; T2 = retest of capitulation low; T3 = full revisit (if it happens). Never "buy at market on a chart that looks bottomed."
  5. Sizing 2-3% per pick — reversals are higher-risk than momentum names; don't size like core holdings.
  6. Tax framing — reversal entries are positions, not swings; assume 12+ month hold. Frame return targets after-tax: +50% gross = +40-43% after LTCG.

"Look carefully" rule: most "beaten-down with intact catalyst" stocks are beaten down for a REASON the bull case denies. Always answer: "what would have to be true for the bear thesis to be correct?" If you can't articulate it, you don't understand the trade. Verified false reversals from 2026: WBA -60% (mgmt still selling), DLTR -45% (insiders also exited), KSS -50% (PE walked away).

See README's Hard Rules for the full anti-pattern list.


Goal

Find stocks where:

  1. Worst-case is already priced in (down 30%+ from ATH)
  2. Concrete catalyst still intact (real contracts, not just hope)
  3. Reversal early signal (50DMA up-cross or first higher low)
  4. Insider not capitulating (sells slowing or buying starting)
  5. Forward valuation cheap (P/E < pre-crash 50%)

The ORCL pattern that delivered $172 → $185 reversal: down 50% from $345 + OpenAI $300B intact + insider selling slowing + 50DMA crossover.

Why this matters

Most "value" looks dead. But true narrative reversals (where the bear story is wrong) outperform:

  • ORCL 2025/9 → 2026/5: -50% then +35% rebound
  • META 2022 → 2023: -76% then +200%
  • NFLX 2022 → 2023: -75% then +180%
  • CRM 2022 → 2023: -55% then +90%

These all share: panic priced in maximum darkness then truth comes out.

The 5-Step Workflow

Step 1 — Define hunting ground

Common buckets where reversals happen:

  • AI Cloud (ORCL after OpenAI doubts)
  • Big Tech (META 2022 metaverse fear)
  • Beaten retailers (NFLX 2022 streaming saturation fear)
  • Software (CRM, ZM, DOCU after 2022 reset)
  • Healthcare/Biotech after FDA rejection
  • China after regulatory crackdown
  • Auto after EV demand reset
  • Banks after credit fear

Step 2 — Apply hard filters

Pull via mcp__yfmcp__yfinance_get_ticker_info for candidate list:

Hard cuts (must pass ALL):

Filter Threshold Why
Distance from ATH -30% to -65% Need real darkness, but not complete failure
Forward P/E <30 (cheap for sector) Avoid "down but still expensive"
Market cap >$10B Liquidity for institutional re-entry
Revenue growth (latest) >0% (positive) Don't catch a falling knife
Cash flow Positive OR within 1 quarter Survives long enough for reversal

Optional but strong:

  • Recent earnings beat (sentiment shift)
  • New CEO or strategy reset
  • Activist investor involvement
  • Big contract / partnership announcement

Step 3 — Look for reversal signals

For each survivor, check:

Signal What to look for
50DMA cross Stock has crossed above 50DMA (or testing)
First higher low Recent low > previous low (bottoming)
Volume divergence Down moves on lower volume vs up moves
RSI bullish divergence Lower price, higher RSI
Insider buying First insider buys in 6+ months (BIG signal)
Short interest declining Shorts covering

Step 4 — Verify catalyst is intact (CRITICAL)

The hardest part. Use WebSearch and earnings transcripts to verify:

Questions to ask:

  1. Is the original thesis still true? (e.g., ORCL OpenAI $300B contract still active)
  2. What's been added since the crash? (new contracts, customers)
  3. Is management same/changed? (new CEO often = catalyst)
  4. Have analysts started raising targets? (early signs of recognition)
  5. Are insider buying? (ultimate signal)

Reject if catalyst is broken:

  • Major customer lost
  • Management change without coherent strategy
  • Regulatory headwinds increased
  • Competitive moat eroded

Step 5 — Check insider for capitulation/buying

Run insider_ratio.py "TICKER" --window 90 (or wider window covering capitulation date). Uses openinsider primary; only Form 4 code "P" counts as buy.

  • 🟢🟢🟢 RECENT CLUSTER BUY (3+ insiders, $500K+ each): Bottom signal — most reversal candidates have this. Real 2026 example: NKE (CEO Hill + Tim Cook + 2 Directors, $3.7M, 7 days, after -46% drop).
  • 🟢 STRONG BUY: 1-2 senior insiders buying after period of selling
  • 🟡 OK: Selling slowed / stopped + sells are 10b5-1 trusts (verify at secform4.com)
  • 🔴 AVOID: CEO/CFO ad-hoc selling (not 10b5-1) = haven't capitulated

Reminder: News articles' "cluster buy" claims are often false positives (RSU/DSU grants). Always verify Form 4 code = "P" at openinsider.com/[TICKER].

Especially good: CEO/CFO/Director cluster buy after stock down 50% (CEVA 2026 / NKE 2026 / AMKR Kim family / LSCC new CEO patterns).

Output format

# Narrative Reversal Screen — [Date]

## TL;DR
Found [N] candidates with intact catalyst + reversal signal. Top 3:
1. [TICKER] — [tagline]
2. [TICKER] — [tagline]
3. [TICKER] — [tagline]

## Screen Results

### Top 3 Deep Dive

#### #1 [TICKER]
**The Crash**: ATH $X (Date) → Low $Y (Date) = -Z%
**Why it crashed**: [1 sentence]
**The Recovery**: Current $A, +B% from low

**Catalyst Status**:
- Original thesis: [check if still true]
- Concrete evidence: [contracts, customers]
- New positives since crash: [list]

**Reversal signals**:
- 50DMA: [above/below + how recently crossed]
- First higher low: [yes/no, when]
- Insider: [buy ratio + key buyers]
- Analyst: [recent upgrades/raises]

**Valuation**:
- Pre-crash P/E: 35x
- Current P/E: 21x
- 50% multiple compression already
- Peer P/E: 28x → upside in re-rating

**Entry Plan**:
- Now: $A (try 30%)
- Pullback to 50DMA $B: add 30%
- Pullback to 200DMA $C: add 40%

**12-month target**: $D (+E%)

**Risk**: [main risk that would invalidate]

## Watch list (not yet entry signal but close)
| Ticker | Reason waiting |

## Rejected
| Ticker | Why rejected |
| TICKER | Catalyst actually broken |
| TICKER | Insider still capitulating |
| TICKER | Down 30% but PE still 60x |

Hard rules

  1. Verify catalyst is INTACT. Don't catch falling knives. ORCL had OpenAI $300B verifiable; some falling stocks don't have anything.
  2. Don't buy at exactly the bottom. Wait for first higher low + 50DMA cross.
  3. Insider matters MORE here. In growth stocks insider is noise; in reversals it's THE signal (CEVA pattern).
  4. Re-rating > earnings growth. ORCL went from PE 35 → 21 = -40%. Going back to 28-30 = +35% just on multiple, before earnings.
  5. Cap position size at 5-7% (still risky, R/R asymmetric).
  6. Set stop at recent low. If thesis breaks, exit fast.

Common pitfalls

Pitfall Example Lesson
Catching falling knife Buying ORCL at $200 (still falling) Wait for higher low
Anchoring to ATH "ORCL was $345, must go back" ATH is meaningless; intrinsic value matters
Ignoring why it crashed "Stock down 50%, must be good" Some crashes are correct (BBBY, WW)
Buying first reversal signal Bought 50DMA cross, then -10% retest Wait for confirmation (volume + 2nd higher low)
Selling too early on bounce Bought $172, sold $185 (+8%) Multi-month moves can return 30-50%

Templates: Common reversal patterns

Pattern A: The "Worst-Case Priced In"

  • ORCL 2026/5 (China=0 priced in for NVDA, OpenAI doubt for ORCL)
  • META 2022 (metaverse + ad recession fears)
  • Sign: forward P/E at multi-year low, but earnings stable

Pattern B: The "Activist or New CEO"

  • INTC under Lip-Bu Tan (2026 turnaround attempt)
  • DIS under Iger return (2022)
  • Sign: new strategy = new buying

Pattern C: The "Sector Rotation Reversal"

  • Energy 2020 → 2022 (oil $30 → $130)
  • Bank 2023 (post-SVB collapse, then recovery)
  • Sign: macro tailwind reasserts

Pattern D: The "Earnings Inflection"

  • AMD 2023 (data center inflection)
  • NVDA 2023 Q1 ER (AI catalyst surprise)
  • Sign: first surprise beat after string of misses

Watch list management

Status categories:

  • 🟢 BUY now — all 5 criteria pass
  • 🟡 WATCH — 4 of 5 pass, waiting for trigger
  • 🟠 STILL FALLING — early, wait for higher low
  • 🔴 REJECTED — catalyst broken or value trap

Update cadence: Weekly review of WATCH list, daily for current entries.

When to invoke

  • User asks: "Find beaten-down stocks with real story"
  • User asks: "ORCL-style plays"
  • User asks: "Reversal candidates"
  • After SPX -10%+ correction (lots of opportunities open up)
  • Quarterly: routine reversal hunting

Tool cheat-sheet

Need Tool
Distance from ATH mcp__yfmcp__yfinance_get_ticker_info52WeekHigh, current price
Pre-crash valuation WebSearch: "[ticker] historical P/E 2024 2025"
Catalyst verification WebSearch: "[ticker] [catalyst keyword] update [current month]"
Insider insider_ratio.py "TICKER" --since [crash date]
50DMA cross mcp__yfmcp__yfinance_get_price_history (3-6mo)

Companion skills

After this screens 3 candidates:

  • Run analyze-stock for deep dive
  • Run option-wall-analysis for short-term levels
  • Run leaps-screen for LEAPS (LEAPS work GREAT for reversals — high IV after crash)
  • Run tax-optimize if user wants to use as alternative to current holdings
Install via CLI
npx skills add https://github.com/ssurmic/claude-investment-skills --skill narrative-reversal-screen
Repository Details
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